The short answer: NO.

When visiting Naples and the rest of the South of Italy you can do better things with your time and money than traveling to Capri to see the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra), especially if  that is your sole intention for visiting Capri .  Yes, this Roman Emperor private swimming hole has breathtaking and unexpected color, but you will be ferried in and out so quickly that you will not have any time to soak it in.  The 11€50 admission charge buys a short and cramped boat trip through a cave that while beautiful is simply a waste of money.

Capri has a breathtaking coastline and cliffs that for centuries have been admired and for a short time during the reign of Tiberius (AD 17-34) feared ( he used to like to toss people down to the jagged shore.)  Today, Capri still attracts emperors of sorts as evidenced by the private ships like Limitless (owned by Victoria Secrets boss Leslie Wexner) that commonly circle the island.  No, there was no Adriana Lima sightings, unfortunately.

If you still decide to visit, knock yourself out.  I recommend giving the Blue Grotto a miss, but you will still see some very comparable caves and water colors on your tour around the island.

Here is an idea of the base costs for a day trip from Naples:

• Ferry:  €11-18 each way
• Boat trip around island (Blue Grotto not included): €14
• Admission to Blue Grotto: €11,50
• Total: minimum €47,50 per person or 8 pizzas at Sorbillos in Naples
• Food is about 2x to 3x more expensive than in Naples
• Limitless purchase price when you get yacht rich, more than $100,000,000
• Cost of renting a yacht like the Limitless $500,000 weekly

So, Capri is not a budget destination but now you something to look forward when you strike it yacht rich.

In the Gulf of Naples in 6 B.C the Emperor Augustus traded the island of Ischia for Capri.  This swap still resonates today as the island that gained Imperial favor, Capri, remains popular and the other, Ischia, continues to be fairly unknown.  In fact, if you were to ask someone from Ischia about Capri the response would most likely be that Capri is good for a day trip while staying on Ischia, which has so much more to offer.  Over the centuries Ischia has been ruled by occupying armies, countries, pirates and ruling families; however, in spite of its shaky political and natural history it remains faithful to its Greek and Italian roots.  Today the rocky island has a population of about 60,000 that is divided among five towns with the two largest being Ischia Town and Forio. Once on the island, Ischia Town has the most nightlife and shopping while the quieter Forio provides a quaint and relaxing atmosphere.

My wife and I spent four days during the end of May on this island that has remarkable beauty, warm days and crisp nights, whitewashed buildings with blue trim, great food, and friendly people that are proud of their history and island.  Our days were activity filled with swimming, driving the scooter around to the island’s attractions, hiking Mount Epomeo and soaking in the many hot springs while our evenings were spent relaxing and eating the local dishes. As two very independent travelers with vastly different requirements for a relaxing getaway, Ischia satisfied us both as it offers good and unique food plus plenty of activities.  And our enjoyment was compounded because our hosts delivered superior hospitality and a clean place to stay.  Ischia could be precisely what you need if traveling with friends, as a couple, with a family or if you are just looking for a quiet and easy to reach escape from a noisy city hopping grind.

Getting to and around Ischia:

We departed from Naples on a hydrofoil (€18 each way) and within a little over an hour we reached Forio, which is smaller than Iscia Town but with plenty to do and is easy to access the rest of the island. Rather than dealing with public transportation we rented a scooter for €25 per day as it allowed us to set our own schedule.  Although, with the windy roads, fast cars, faster scooters and hills a scooter is not for the faint of heart or inexperienced so a car rental might be a better option- they were not much more than the scooters.  In talking to other travelers we were told that the buses were timely, cheap and adequately got them around.

Where to stay:

We stayed at La Rotonda sul Mar, which is a Colella Family property.  Amerigo, one of the Colella sons, picked us up at the port, brought us to our apartment, recommend things to do on the island, arranged our scooter, transported to and from their restaurant and then finally dropped us off at the port.  From Papa Salvatore and Mama Tina to the three brothers Giuseppe, Amerigo and Lorenzo this clan delivers their promise of family hospitality and as a consequence they provide an authentic Italian experience. From cooking lessons with Mama Tina to learning how to make limoncello with Papa Salvatore to each of the brothers zooming between all their properties to look after the guests the Colella Family provides a truly unique opportunity to learn, rest and enjoy Ischia.

Depending on your preferences the Colellas have three different and distinct accommodation options.

A traditional hotel: Poggio del Sole is on the same land that Salvatore’s and Tina’s respective families owned before they married so in a way it is the land that grew the family.  Each room has its own bathroom and balcony with a sea view and some rooms even have a kitchenette and two balconies.  It is located just above the family restaurant La Casereccia so meals are an easy commute.  The hotel is a good choice if you are looking for a quite get-away.  Poggio del Sole is in a neighborhood that makes it impractical to walk to the port so if you stay here you will want to factor in transportation.

View from patio at Rotonda sul Mare

Apartments and rooms: We chose to stay at La Rotonda sul Mar, which is located on the sea and is a 20 minute stroll from Forio and even less to some bars (in the Italian sense) and restaurants.  Keep in mind that many European beaches are rocky but approximately 300 meters away there is a sandy beach.  From June to September a deck is set up so you can sunbathe right on the water and as of May 2009 there are plans to install a beach bar.  With a few levels of patios, the beautiful sunsets and easy water access we loved the location.  The interiors of the rooms are basic, but very clean and spacious. My wife normally prefers a luxurious feeling room but she found this very comfortable and I had no complaints.

The hostel: Ring hostel is a standard hostel that offers more atmosphere than amenities.  This is one of those places where if the walls could talk, goodness knows what they would say. But as luck would have it the walls do talk in that travelers have been using them as a guest book since Ring Hostel was opened in 2005.

The food: Forio had many tasty restaurants, but our experience was tainted due to one tourist trap.  To start positively, the hotel Poggio del Sole is connected to the family restaurant, La Casereccia, which everyone should try.  It has a traditional wood burning pizza oven and they serve many of their homemade products including Papa Salvatore’s limoncello and prune juice.  La Casereccia is a restaurant where you can “si mangia bene” and stay on budget.  One of the most outstanding dishes that we had was the octopus salad (insalata di polpo).  It is an Ischia specialty so it will be on the menu most places.  In Ischia this salad is prepared by adding some small cut-up octopi with oil, lemon and a few other garden ingredients that results in a simple and tasty appetizer.

Just down the beach from the La Rotonda sul Mar is a string of restaurants that all seem to be about the same.  We chose one at random and ended up being pleasantly surprised. The name is called L’Ancora and it is really not that much to look at but it does have an extension on the beach, which met our single criterion for that meal.  We ordered a frutti del mare pizza complete with octopus, mussels and anchovies and it was fresh and tasty while not being too fishy.  But the real treat was a bruschetta panino that they make with their homemade pizza dough.  I thought that I had seen all variations of the bruschetta but this was a stand out by being served on pizza dough. L’Ancora is a good bet for the restaurants along that strip.

Sometimes the problem with traveling off-season is that many of the places that heavily target tourists will not be opened or in full swing.  Indeed, the port of Forio on a Tuesday night at the end of May was pretty empty. Unfortunately we settled for the restaurant called La Romantica di Porto Francesco because it at least had a few other guests.  When we arrived the waiter seemed nice enough.  He recommended a decent bottle of Greco di Tufo (we found the table white wine on Ischia to be pretty poor) and walked us through the menu making a couple reasonable recommendations.  Then he pulled what I call an “off menu” stunt which is when a waiter suggests a “special dish” that is not on the menu, so there is no price. In this instance although we insisted we were not all that hungry the waiter heartily insisted that we had to try the specialty of the house. As seasoned travelers we know to ask the price – but didn’t as the waiter seemed pleasant and we were feeling comfortable.  In the end we paid as it was way too much food and had a price 2-3 times any other appetizer on the menu. We disputed the bill when it came but the waiter said we had agreed to it. Instead of making a scene we paid and left with another traveler rule more ingrained in our minds.  The lesson is always the same: insist on knowing the price before ordering and when you hear, “I have something special for you” or “don’t worry about it I will make you a special price” most likely you are about to get taken.  It is no surprise that this little scam and overcooked pasta ruined the evening; the wine was decent and a real steal at only 50% the price of the appetizer.

What to do: Hike to the top of the Island:  The hike to the top of Mount Epomeo is easy but strenuous. The hike took us about 45 minutes to an hour but the view from the top alone makes it worth the hike. The hike can get a bit hot so try to do it in the morning. It is strange to think hike and then automatically think food, but there are three places to eat along the way: one at the very bottom, another hidden in the woods about 25% of the way up and another at the very top.

Hunters' rabbit is an Ischia specialty

After the hike we stayed on the top for some cold water and a snack at the restaurant that looked like a mud hut but had, as you might imagine, an excellent view.  My wife sampled the bruschetta, which was a pile of tomatoes and basil bathed in tasty olive oil set on a garlicky half loaf of toasted Italian bread.  I went for the specialty of the region that I discovered while hiking up when I saw a few playful signs advertising coniglio alla cacciatore, translated hunter’s rabbit.  Fortunately, I ordered the coniglio because it was easily the best rabbit that I have ever eaten and among some of the best dishes that I have ever tasted.  It was served in a thick but not too heavy tomato sauce with roasted red bell peppers, onions, garlic along with some white wine, salt, pepper and a few family secrets.  For those that have not tried rabbit the taste is not particularly strong or gamey but has the taste of fowl dark meat with a texture of duck so it is not stringy like chicken.  However, in this recipe the rabbit is smothered in so much sauce that the natural flavor is in a supporting rather than starring role. The pasta dishes that we saw come out were also plentiful, actually enough for two.  Our bill totaled €39.00 with the €18.00 rabbit being the lion’s share of the bill with the bruschetta, salad and half liter of wine making up the difference.  It was an excellent meal and experience- highly recommended.

Negombo: One reason why Augustus decided to trade Ischia was because of the risk of severe volcanic activity was too great to invest building an imperial palace or even spending time there.  But it is exactly all of that activity that creates all of the thermal springs that makes Ischia such a find.  Negombo is a thermal bath park that is one of the best places that we have found while traveling.  We are not a sit on the beach type couple so we appreciated the opportunity to visit the 25 different thermal pools that the resort offers. With everything from hot and cold dips, to Turkish baths, to a variety of heated pools in addition to one of the nicest beaches we saw on Ischia, it is an excellent way for anyone to spend the day.

We spent an enjoyable day trying all of the pools, returning to the ones we liked best, eating lunch and swimming in the ocean. Our favorite was the water cascades that drop water from various heights that when you stand under the water stream it actually gives you a pretty thorough and effective massage. The cost of entry was €29 per person which might not be in everyone’s budget, but both of us felt that it was well worth it as we spent 6 hours jumping from pool to pool. If you decide to go – bring your own towel, a pair of shoes you don’t mind getting wet, and careful of the sun – all that jumping from pool to pool wipes off any sunscreen. Another note is that if you plan on going here to be sure and ask the reception at your hotel for discount coupons which will save you €3 per ticket.

Baia di Sorgeto: Nestled into a small bay and just off the beach are a few warm water pockets that are like hot tubs in the sea.  Also known for the mud that is dredged from around the area, which is used for an all-natural facial this is a worthwhile destination.  Baia di Sorgeto can be reached by bus, taxi, on your own, boat or water taxi from Sant’Angelo.  The rocky beach is not very comfortable but there are lounges to be rented for about €15 and the bar / restaurant is very reasonable.  The mud can be bought either by the jar, or when we were the bar was selling it by the mask.  At times this place can be infested with jellyfish thus making the pools inaccessible.  To avoid this have your hotel receptionist call La Sorgente, the bar / restaurant only meters away, and ask for a jellyfish report.  Phone number: 081.907837.  Nothing would be worse than traveling across Ischia to Baia di Sorgento only to descend the 200 something stairs and learn that the sparkling in the water is really sacs of stinging plasma.

Nitrodi: These sulfur springs have been in use since ancient Romans visited Ischia.  We stopped by and gave them a look but decided against going in because the whole area was not inviting plus the €9 frankly did not seem worth it.  We would recommend this if Baia di Sorgento is infested with jellyfish but on its own with a limited time or financial budget we recommend giving this a miss.

Sant’ Angelo: This fishing village is on the itinerary of every organized tour in Ischia.  The main draw is the beauty created by the isthmus- also a sandy beach- that connects the mainland to a small dot of land that is now covered with hotels.  Sant’ Angelo is great for walking around because they severely limit motor traffic all over town so you are not being constantly buzzed by cars and omnipresent scooters. There is a cluster of bars and cafés on the mainland that are not terribly expensive and there are a lot of shops, with typical tourist stuff in addition too some pretty fun boutiques.  We found that Sant’Angelo was perfect for a light lunch or drink but not worth spending an entire afternoon that is unless you are there for the beach.

After our four days on Ischia we were completely relaxed and recharged. Aside from the “off menu” incident, which could have taken place anywhere, Ischia was a very worthwhile destination.  We felt that we could have stayed a couple more days so now we just have to figure out how to go back!

Where to stay: The Colella Family www.hotelpoggiodelsole.it  or for Ring Hostel www.ringhostel.com  They waill also be able to set up the apartment or room rental at Rotona sul Mar.

Where to eat: At the top of Mount Epomeo, La Casereccia (The Colella Family
restaurant)

Food and drink: Coniglio della Cacciatore; Rucolino is the local liqueur made out of arugula and tastes like Jagermeister; octopus salad; paccheri pasta (large round tubes) with mussels and pecorino.

Where to go: Negombo, Baia di Sorgeto, Sant’ Angelo, Mount Epomeo

Cooking classes: Contact La Casereccia www.lacasereccia.com to inquire about cooking classes and other classes that the Colella Family provides.

When to go: The busy, busy season is in August when the island is full of Europeans.  April – June and Sept – October will still have great weather but Ischia will be quieter.  The benefit of going during the busy season is that everything will be open and there will be a lot more nightlife options.  However, we are more early and late season travelers so we did not mind the fewer options in exchange for no crowds.  While Ischia may be fairly untrodden by English speaking travelers it is not a secret to Germans and Asians so expect to share the island with them no matter when you decide to visit.

An admirer kisses Oscar Wilde’s grave

By Chris–

While working through, and getting lost in Paris’s Cimetière du Père Lachaise, I finally found my destination after hearing the giggles of some young American girls who were about to leave their madness of kisses on Oscar Wilde’s grave.  This was a twist because the great author, playwrite and poet would have rather gotten kisses from young, swarthy and dangerous young men.  At least this irony was understood by the girls who laughed at their male companion when he asked if they thought if it would be okay for him to kiss the headstone.  “Actually”, one girl chuckled, “he may have liked that more.”  “Why?” he asked, and then he must have gotten it because his face turned as red as the lipstick.  “What did you get in that class again?” and “Go ahead, you may as well just kiss it now that you have my lipstick on” were what I heard as I walked off thinking that Oscar Wilde must have turned over in his grave.

In Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, Marc Anthony states, “The evil that men do lives after them whereas the good is oft interred with their bones.”  What he does not mention is that a person’s legacy, or what people do at their grave anyway, can be determined by obscure words, deeds or mere coincidences that may not have even registered with the popular voice during their lifetime, for example: the founder of the Roman Empire has a makeshift memorial maintained by small group that he did a favor for 2000 years ago.  A fisherman from Galilee met a carpenter, moved to the Caput Mundi, was executed, buried and literally has become the foundation of a church nation.  A man who preferred young and slender boys has his headstone consistently kissed by women.  Two philosophers who maintained that everything must be defined by the individual have their resting place covered with symbols even though their basic philosophy discourages symbolism.  Lastly, a rock star that burned quickly yet brightly may still haunt us today with more than his memory.

Julius Caesar:  Grave site: Rome, Italy- Roman Forum (cremated remains missing).

Julius Caesar invented the Roman Empire by doing what a modern captain of industry does: he created growth, ran an innovative marketing and PR campaign, successfully invested capital reserves and understood how to take care of his employees.  True, he was still stabbed 37 times with possibly the death blow being delivered by his son.  Surprisingly there is no grand monument dedicated to Caesar’s legacy.  Rather what exists is a piddly dirt mound in the Roman Forum that marks where he was cremated and where Marc Antony gave his funeral oration.  In ancient Rome this was where a temple stood for the Divine Caesar that housed his remains.  As with many buildings in the Forum the temple to the Divine Caesar was quarried, overgrown and forgotten about until the 1870s.  Today, the dirt mound is commonly covered with flowers that are usually put there by Rome’s Jewish community, which has never forgotten that Caesar allowed the practice of Judaism outside Palestine.  Also, on July 18, Julius Caesar’s birthday (July is named after him), Roman Jews decorate this spot and the statue of Caesar just outside the Forum.

Simon of Bethsaida (aka St. Peter):  Grave site: The Vatican

This fisherman from Palestine was told by Jesus, “you are my Rock and upon you I will build my Church”, which has literally happened.  Peter (i.e. rock in Greek) became Simon’s nickname, he then became Jesus’s stand-in (i.e.Vicar) on earth the first Pope.  After Jesus died, Peter moved to Rome and was there during the Great Fire of 64.  The Emperor Nero blamed this fire on the Christians which began the the Christian persecutions that lasted until 312, or 248 years.  Peter was arrested, crucified upside down and buried in a mass grave outside of Rome (i.e. the Vatican).  Christians immediately started visiting his grave, which in almost 2000 years has not stopped.  Since St. Peter’s death and burial in 67 there have been hundreds of millions of visitors, two major basilicas built over his grave and in 1929 the .44 sq km(0.17 sq mi) above and around his remains became an independent country.  Today the Vatican is ruled by Pope Benedict XVI who is the only absolute monarch in Europe.

Oscar Wilde:  Grave Site:  Paris, France- Cemetery Père Lachaise #83.

Oscar Wilde lived life on his own terms in spite of the constraints and consequences of Victorian era England.  The author of The Picture of Dorian Gray lived his last years in Paris before succumbing to cerebral meningitis.  Convicted of gross indecency in 1895, a piece of evidence that was used to convict him was a letter that he wrote to his lover Lord Alfred Douglas in which he talked about a “madness of kisses.”  This phrase, representing a glimpse into his passion that he paid two years of hard labor and imprisonment for, may be what has inspired the scores of pucker marks that are decorating or vandalizing the grave, depending on who is asked.  Originally, Wilde was buried outside Paris but he was moved to Pere Lachaise.  The monument was commissioned by one Bob Ross who asked that a compartment be created for his ashes which were interred in the monument in 1950.

Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beuvoir:  Grave site: Paris, France- Montparnasse Cemetary

Jean-Paul passed away in 1980 and his life partner Simone de Beuvoir followed him in 1986.  The basics of Sartre’s philosophy is that each person must define meaning for themselves.  Philosophically speaking Sartre was a fellow-traveler, which means that he may have agreed with a movement (i.e.Communist, Maoist, etc) but he would have never have officially joined any group.  During the turbulent 60s and 70s Sartre supported a number of Leftist movements including the French Maoists, which acted at times like Robinhood in that they stole from the rich (i.e. government) and distributed to the poor (i.e. workers).  One of these acts was inspired by a price hike for the Paris metro.  In response to this act, which directly impacted French workers, the group stole metro tickets and gave them away.  Sartre helped the Maoist cause by taking over its newspaper after the group’s leadership was arrested in 1970.  Today the grave of Sartre and de Beuvoir it is likely that some unused Metro tickets are on the grave which commemorate Sartre’s and de Beauvoir’s support of the French Maoists and perhaps of socialism and labor in general.  Notes are put on the grave for Simone de Beauvoir, the author of The Second Sex and who famously said, “one is not born a woman, but becomes one”.  The notes that I saw were written in a few languages including Arabic, English, Spanish and French.  The notes written in English, Spanish and French, the languages I could get the gist of, referenced a woman’s strength and thanked de Beauvoir for her inspiration.

Jim Morrison: Grave site: Paris, France- Cemetery Père Lachaise #30

The lead singer of the Doors died at just 27 years old after being in Paris for two months.  It is hard to believe that the Lizard King rose to fame and died in less than four years.  However, for the last 30 or so years his humble grave has seen and continues to see quite a lot of action. By some estimates the grave is the 4th most visited destination in Paris so it is consistently visited by camera carrying tourists, it has made cameo appearances in movies such as the 1991 Doors, Kate Moss and her boyfriend danced on it while singing Alabama Song, there are stories of seances, drugs, booze and the list goes on.  The grave has been vandalized, chipped at and has had its memorial bust of Morrison stolen.  Oh, did I mention that the site may be haunted?  In 2002 a Rock and Roll historian named Brett Meisner had a picture snapped of him, which later someone noticed that there seemed to be an apparition in the background.  Unfortunately, when I took the picture for this article I did not discover any background transparent dancers, but if you look closely it does seem that the rust on the headstone has made a face, that looks like Jim Morrison, maybe?  Even 37 years after his death this rock star still inspires hordes of fans to visit him, supermodels to dance on him while the whole time he just might be hanging around to enjoy the show.  

Père Lachaise greets about 1.5 million visitors a year and Morrison’s grave is definitely among the most popular.  If 50% of visitors to Pere Lachaise visit Morrison’s grave then it would be more visited than Elvis’s grave at Graceland which receives about 660,000 visitors per year. I recommend budgeting about two hours for the cemetery so you can get the most out of it.  However, if you are just there to visit Jim then 45 minutes should be sufficient.  There is no admission for either Père Lachaise or Montparnasse cemeteries. TRAVEL TIP:  There are no signs pointing to famous graves so when I was there I noticed quite a few people getting lost and confused, including myself.  I recommend taking a bunch of pictures of the master map when you enter and remember to include some with the list of names and their corresponding numbers.

Expedia.com has just started an annual survey which asked 4,000 hoteliers to comment on and rate tourist based on 10 specific categories including popularity, behavior, manners, willingness to learn the language and try local cuisine, generosity, tidiness, volume, fashion sense and propensity to complain. The Japanese score top honors, Americans are in the middle of the pack with the Chinese bottoming out the list.

“Hoteliers are the experts when it comes to interacting with tourists, so as the busy summer travel season approaches and vacationers prepare for their own travel experiences, we thought it would be fun to present some of their common perceptions regarding tourists from all around the world,” said Karyn Thale, travel expert, Expedia.com(R). “We hope the results inspire Americans to keep up their generosity and cultural curiosity and convince them to leave the white tennis shoes and fanny packs at home!”

Obviously, it is not that easy to silo nationalities into a neat little list but there are some insights to be gleaned beyond the “fanny pack” and American noise level. Basically, I feel that the main issue that Americans get frustrated by, and complain about, is the fact that hotel rooms are much different outside the USA. In the USA one can roll up to any Holiday Inn and have a big comfortable room with two queen beds, cable T.V., 400+ count bedding and a lot of other comfort items. However, as a general rule, this is not the norm with hotel rooms outside North America, which can be quite a shock when spending $200+ for a three star hotel in London that is a little more than a shoe box with a double bed and a tele that only shows Sky News and CNN International. I am a pretty seasoned traveler and this fact still gets me, but it is simply a rule of the road and not something to get upset about. So, simply adjust that expectation and expect that “quaint and comfy room in a former royal palace” to be the size of a Pod. After all it is just a room.

So, after no more avail here it is: The World’s Best Tourists, Ranking From Best to Worst, 2008

1. Japanese

2. German/British (tie) (The Germans were considered the tidiest of all nationalities.)

3. Canadian (The most popular tourists in their own country were the Canadians as well.)

4. Swiss

5. Dutch

6. Australian/Swedish (tie)

7. Belgian

8. Norwegian

9. Austrian/Danish/Finnish (tie)

10. New Zealanders (Kiwi)

11. U.S. American/Thai (tie)

12. Irish/Czech/South African/Portugese (tie)

13. Brazilian

14. Italian/Greek/Polish (tie)

15. Turkish

16. Spanish

17. Mexican

18. Russian

19. French …The French didn’t do too well, coming in, as you can see at 19th. They were seen as the most “fiscally conservative,” presumably when it comes to such matters as tipping.

20. Indian

21. Chinese

By Dan

San Francisco– I flew into San Francisco where I hung out for a few days to do all the touristy things like Alcatraz (the boat ride out was cool, and on a clear day you can get some great photos looking back at the city but really not worth the queueing and cost), clam chowder in a sourdough bread roll from Boudin Sourdough Bakery at Fisherman’s Wharf (awesome!) and hiring a bicycle from Blazing Saddles to tour around the city (take their suggestion and head across the bridge, remember that this is the second “hilliest” city in the world, at one stage the road was so steep that I was lifting the front wheel off the ground just trying to pedal!). Nighttimes were spent enjoying my first ever Dirty Martini (martini with olive juice, sublime) which was cheap ($5 for the whole shaker) and served in a friendly atmosphere at The Buena Vista Cafe and exploring the street art/graffiti in Haight Street, where Timothy Leary and his Electric Kool Aid Gang used to hang out. There are plenty of cool little bars and restaurants, one of my favorites was Noc Noc Club (please, if you go to San Francisco make sure you check this place out, it has a great subterranean feel and always has a cool artist exhibiting in the bar).

I even gave art buying a go one night when I stopped in a little art gallery which was featuring a series of Dali etchings for sale, from his Alice in Wonderland Collection. Now I love Dali, and have always dreamed of owning one. An etching is a copy of an original piece, however, due to the processes involved every etching is unique, and one of the etchings called Pig and Pepper was chosen to be signed by Dali himself, which means it was one of the better examples. The saleswoman was very good at her job, and before too long she had me seated in a private viewing room, rapidly falling in love with a piece of art which she could “offer” to me for the discounted price of $8,350, plus shipping. As ludicrous as this might seem, I now understand that purchasing art is an emotive, not financial decision, and I promised her that I would consider it. Believe it or not, I did seriously intend to spend the evening justifying the cost to myself. Fortunately my parents always taught me to carefully consider and research any large purchase so I did a quick check on eBay and found an entire 12 etching set for just $7500….. needless to say, I didn’t go back the next day! I suppose that she was the American version of the Egyptian papyrus salesmen or the Turkish rug merchant. So the main take away is that whenever you are traveling and stop by a shop no matter if it is in Turkey, Egypt or I guess even San Francisco get out of the shop with your cash, go and have a drink, do a little research, possibly sleep on it and then if you still want the item, go back and get it.

Thanks for reading,

Dan

]]> http://ikangaroo.com/2008/03/28/dan-san-francisco-itinerary/feed/ 2 http://ikangaroo.com/2008/02/20/travel-tips-digital-camera-back-up/ http://ikangaroo.com/2008/02/20/travel-tips-digital-camera-back-up/#comments Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:37:06 +0000 Chris http://ikangaroo.com/2008/02/20/travel-tips-digital-camera-back-up/ Don’t let your digital memories go up in flames!

Digital cameras are a valuable addition to the travel scene. Never before was it possible to take and carry around 1000s of images in 6 oz package. However, these tiny and all important memory preservers are prime targets for thieves and are frequently lost. Like it’s said about a good reputation: it takes a lifetime to make and only a second to lose. The same is true about digital memories contained in that little picture box: all your hard work to capture your experiences and memories can be gone in a flash. To help prevent this unfortunate and very possible event from happening we have put together these recommendations for preserving your pictures. These suggestions, beyond storing pictures, are also great for keeping important documents safe and sharing them across platforms beyond your Facebook or whichever social network account you have. Each can be used from shared computers and don’t require carrying around a laptop or other heavy computer machinery.

1. RECOMMENDED: Online storage sites: Store and share photos, important documents (i.e. copies of passports, travel insurance, credit card information, etc) and back up cell phone info. All of the following have free and premium accounts.
   
   • Box. net- www.box.net: Recommended! Easily create a contact list from Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook WITHOUT requiring contacts to join. I don’t know about you, but I hate it when I receive pictures from friends and I have to join or remember a password.
   • Drive Head Quarters- www.drivehq.com
   • Omni Drive- www.omnidrive.com: Australian based. Has a nice read/write feature which does not require downloading the document.
   • X Drive- www.xdrive.com: Ad supported and AOL owned. Offers 5 GB for free, but requires that each person you share files with have an account.
2. Photo sharing sites such as Flikr.com, Kodak’s Easyshare and Snapfish are also options and have the added benefit of being able to send a personalized postcard (i.e. upload picture, have it printed and sent to someone special). Flickr for instance, has a monthly upload limit of 100MB (free account) which can be limiting. Also, upload times can be quite lengthy.
   • To use any of these make sure you do not forget your camera USB cord.
3. USB Flash Drives: These little gizmos are fantastic and are ideal for many tasks such as carrying around important files and digital pictures to free up the memory card. The process is pretty straight forward: 1) download your pictures from your camera onto a shared computer; 2) transfer the images to a folder on the shared computer; 3) download the pictures onto the flash drive. Not all cameras are going to let you do this without their specific software so research this issue as it relates to your particular camera.
4. Backing up / burning a CD DVD: According to Jane Dent, who manages The Green Room Internet Café in Manly, Australia, this is the most common backup method. Additionally Dan Ross, who is currently on an around-the-word trip and is contributing to iKangaroo, says that many internet cafes he has encountered offer this service. He burns a CD or DVD about once a month and mails them home.
5. Another solution that we learned about via Sindrit Trandafili -the head tech guy for Yellow Youth Hotel in Rome-is that the Yellow rents laptops which people can use to burn their own CD /DVDs.

In a final note Jane has some advice to travelers: “ensure that precious items are backed up/burned before wiping the memory card! (you would be surprised how often this doesn’t get done).” This must happen quite frequently because The Green Room has invested in a “detective”, which “most times” can retrieve mistakenly deleted photos, but she adds, “this is a looooooooong process.”

Implementing these suggestions is easy, quick and most importantly if your precious $300 digital camera is lost or stolen then you won’t have to say to yourself, “I can handle losing the camera, BUT it sucks that I lost all those pictures!!!!!”

Related articles:

Travel Tips: get more from your digital camera

Hello Travelers!

As one of the tourism capitals of the world, Rome has thousands of things to do, see, smell and taste. It’s an exuberant and friendly city that bursts with light, passion, art, pasta, wine and millennia of wonder. Millions of tourists pass through Rome annually, and most go home saying “La vita e’ bella! What an amazing city.” There are, however, those unlucky visitors who return home (after having spent hours of waiting in line at their embassy for a new passport—which was pick-pocketed on a bus) saying “WTF. Never going back.”

As a tourist in Italy, you must never forget that you are easily spotted: you’re carrying a map or a camera; you’re wearing (not-so-cool) sneakers or sandals; you’re (probably) under-dressed, and most importantly, you’re smiling at all the beautiful things (Romans rarely smile as they walk down a street… they’re either complaining or talking about food). The petty thieves that want to take advantage of the naïve tourist can spot you a kilometer away (as you sprint across that pedestrian walk way while praying to sweet Jesus that you don’t get mauled by a psychotic Roman driver who sees you like a bowling pin–and he, the big ball).

PLACES OF RISK

The more tourists there are in a contained area, the more likely there will be pick pockets. To a large extent pick-pockets don’t hunt at St. Peter’s or the Sistine Chapel—why? Because they’re looking for an easy escape. We’ve here mapped out the risky areas Rome, but by no means is this map complete. Please feel free to send us your stories about where and when you got scammed (though, we very much hope that this has not and never will happen to you in Bella Roma).

Termini Train Station and its Vicinity

There are many places to get pick-pocketed or scammed in Rome, but certainly one of the best places to have this act performed on you is the Termini Train Station (and its immediate vicinity). Because this neighborhood is teeming with tourists, it is also teeming with pickpockets.

The Public Bus (specifically the 64 and 40) and Metro (i.e. subway)

Crowded buses and subways are the gypsies’ favorite haunts (and the 64 and 40 buses run straight to the Vatican). Remember that more tourists have walked off the 64 bus without a wallet than on almost any other bus in the world. Gypsies love the 64 because it’s so f…ng crowded! Gypsies have been known to cut through backpacks, cargo pants’ pockets and purses for a wallet—they’ll even rob nuns of their rosaries. What’s your best defense? Keep your valuables in front of you and BE TOUGH! Remember that if the gypsy senses anger or severity in your eyes, you are less likely to be taken for prey.

The Bar or Coffee Shop

First off, don’t leave your cell phone on an outdoor Roman table…ever! Know that those cute five-year-old girls who inhabit all the major Roman piazzas and dance around selling roses, are not as innocent as they seem. While you’re buying that sweet red rose…abacadbra…you’re phone and ipod disappear!

You should also be aware of price gouging. Most Italians drink their coffee standing al bar (where a coffee will cost half the price). If you sit down outside al tavola (and Roman waiters will charmingly coerce you into doing so), you’ll be paying a service charge, which means you’ll be paying two to three times the regular price of a cappuccino. Indulgences aside, you might not want to sit for every breakfast you have in the eternal city. Peter Kiefer wrote an excellent article for the New York Times on this very subject. Click HERE to read the article.

Monuments and other tourist sites

The Colosseum, the Forum, and Saint Peter’s are all mind blowing sites to see. Because these locations are natural distractions to tourists, they are also feeding grounds for pickpockets. The Trevi Fountain and Piazza Barberini are common con man hunting grounds, while Piazza Navona and Piazza di Spagna is where you’ll the bracelet makers like to congregate.

THE ENEMY DOSSIER

So, you ask, how can you stave off the ill will of greedy, lusty criminals (no…wearing garlic around your neck does not go as far as it once did): KNOW YOUR ENEMY!

How do you spot your enemy?

ENEMY 1: GYPSY: If she’s a gypsy, you might see her dressed like a nineteen-seventies hippie with a long flowery skirt, a scarf/bandana, a blanket, a baby in her arms, worn down sandals, and a group of other woman tagging closely behind (with gold in their teeth).

ENEMY 2: CON MAN: If he’s a con man, he’s likely way too nice (or insistent) to be sincere; he’s probably well shaven, clean and wearing Emporio Armani. He might want your credit card number in exchange for a free cell phone, or he might try to show you some amazing Roman sights you’ve never heard of before (he may even want to be your tour guide). A common scam is the “Let’s get a drink, I-know-where-beautiful-women-are”: a bored looking guy tells you about a “secret” bar or disco with pretty girls, and when you arrive at the place, one or all of the girls are interested in you and want to sit, chat and pet. One of them might say, “Bello, buy me a drink,” and because you’re feeling lucky you say, “Sure, what would you like?” The girl says, “Champagne.” You say, “Of course.” The girl takes her first sip, you take the bill, and whoa daddy, it’s 500+ Euros.

ENEMY 3: THE BRACELET MAKER: The quick braided scam: you’ll be sitting on a fountain when all of a sudden a smiling, grease-ball comes up to you and says, “I make you friendship bracelet.” You think, “How sweet.” He proceeds to braid a string around your wrist, and when he’s finished he asks for a donation. You refuse the donation, but because you’re now tied to him, philanthropy is your only option. “If you don’t give me the 20 Euro I never leave!” he says.

ENEMY 4: THE FAKE “Tourist” POLICE OFFICER: A“ tourist police” officer will flash a badge and create anxiety. He may ask to see your money to check for counterfeit bills, or may even try to fine you for not having your passport. In any case, never show these people anything, and request to walk with them to one of the many officers that line the streets of Rome, or to the station.

So, how do you deceive your enemy?
With the right preparation, it’s easy to avert disaster.

A) KNOW where your wallet/passport/money is at all times (do not leave it in the back pocket of your pants or back pack!)
B) HOLD your purse or bag close to your body or in front of you.
C) AVOID the aforementioned people (i.e. do not let them approach you —especially in groups), and avoid fanny packs at all costs. Not only do fanny packs SCREAM tourist, but they also are high target value because as a general rule they are packed full of all your goodies.
D) BE AWARE of criminal distraction techniques. Gypsies are famous for disorienting their victims in order to steal their phone, camera, wallet, or whatever it is they know you’re not paying attention to. They might try to show you a newspaper, or they might drop an object in front of you (like their infant child–a rag doll) under the expectation that you’ll pick it/him/her up. They may even innocuously ask you for directions or a cigarette. What to do???
E) IGNORE these people! Don’t make eye-contact! Walk away! And sure enough (they’re only petty criminals and don’t really want to have to work too hard for their money) they’ll leave you alone.
F) SHOUT! When in doubt, shout it out! If you find yourself with a bracelet tied to your wrist, or find yourself too close to a suspiciously touchy person, make a scene and scare these chickens away.

Allora, now that you’ve been sufficiently primed on security measures for your trip, do remember to apply them. Look tough (sunglasses can be of assistance here), be aware of the people in your immediate surroundings (or as Borat put it, “Beat the gypsy, beat the gypsy”) and remember that being a little more street smart will make your voyage to Rome a hundred times more pleasurable.

Buon viaggio!

Elizabeth Farren

Digital cameras are communication devices, file systems, memory enhancers, decision aids and all around valuable travel tools. Besides being vivid extensions of your memory that efficiently preserve your special moments at the Berlin Wall or at whatever other monument you visit, these little image sponges enable you to capture the small details that will make your travels more smooth and efficient. Probably no other single item defines someone as a tourist, but that is no reason to abandon this necessity to fit in. We say embrace the digital camera, take as many pictures as you please and it will help you get the absolute most out of your travel experience.

Here is a list of obvious and not so obvious uses for your digital camera.

1. Know your hotel: When arriving to your hotel take a picture of it from the outside that captures its name and address number (you might have to snap another picture of the street name). It is easier to show someone (i.e. a cab driver, local, etc) a picture of the hotel and its street name rather then attempting to say it; especially if it is a foreign language. Just think of getting your hotel’s name or street address correct in Japanese, Tai, Czech or any other foreign language.
2. Diminish buyer’s remorse: While shopping, to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed, try snapping pictures of the clothes, shoes, etc that you are considering buying (don’t forget to get a picture that shows the store they are in). If you try on the items, take a picture of yourself with the clothes on to better evaluate your enthusiasm for the purchase against the other choices. Try making one pass of the shops to get the pictures, sitting down and having a coffee to look everything over and then purchase what’s best.
3. Restaurants: You always want to recommend places where you dined, either for better or worse. We recommend taking a picture of the restaurant and the menu, including what you ate. Doing this makes it possible to remember the exact name of the restaurant and what you ate, which comes in very handy if you want to recommend the restaurant or prepare the dish at home. Also consider snapping a shot of the wine and any other brands that you will want to remember. When walking around during the day, if you see an interesting restaurant that you might like to try out then get a picture of it, including the menu if possible. This makes it easier to locate later and to compare the food (by description anyway) against other dining options.
4. Evaluate poor decisions, or brag about good luck: If your planning a big night out get plenty of pictures so you can evaluate how badly your beer goggles were. The day after, when your friends mock your decisions, or visa versa, all you have to do is pull-up the pictures to see the evidence. Travel tip: Quickly delete! These pics frequently make it to the net, which combined with picture tagging features means that everyone you know will be informed of your “conquest” within hours. The saying ‘What ever happens on the trip stays on the trip‘, ended with digital cameras, social networking and facial tagging.
5. Cabs: Make it habit to get a picture of the taxi license posted on the inside of cabs or the unique number on the outside. If you leave something in the cab then doing this little but important thing makes it possible to hunt down the driver, unless of course, you leave your camera in the taxi.
6. Rental cars: Snapping pictures of dents, dings and other possible problems before you accept your rental car will save you anxiety if you discover a dent after you leave the lot. If you see something that concerns you, we suggest taking a picture of the issue with your cell-phone and sending it to yourself. This will 100% prove when the picture was taken.
7. Click a picture of your luggage: This helps you remember what you brought and to show the proper authorities what the luggage looks like in case they are lost during your flight.
8. Sightseeing: Beyond pictures of the big stuff, think to get a few shots of the details with the explanations of what you are seeing. Frequently there are plaques with explanations of the monument that will give at least the basic who and when information.
9. Important documents: Take pictures of your passport and other important travel documents: True, this does no good if you loose your camera, so upload the pics onto your computer and send them in an email to yourself so that the data will be stored in your in box and easily assessable.
10. Remember where you parked: No matter if it is at the airport or when you are out and about in an unfamiliar city, snapping a picture of where your car is parked is a good idea. Admit it, there have been times when you thought that you parked at either section A or AA only to find out that you were actually in F.
11. Final tip: A digital camera is an important tool and something that you want to keep safe, however, they do get lost and stolen. To maximize any chance of getting your camera back we suggest creating a “please return to” photo. Doing this is as easy as taking a picture of a piece of paper with your name, email address and something like, “If found please contact [your name] at [your email].” If possible write this message in the native language (i.e. where you are visiting), your language and English. Doing this small thing will increase your odds of getting your camera back.

In my travels I have seen a lot of digital cameras bite the dust in terms of getting dropped, which is usually certain death for the camera.

A couple of things to help you best protect your digital camera:

1. Have the camera in a case. This helps absorb the impact in case of a fall, but more importantly it will protect the LCD screen from getting scratched or broken. Tip: LCD screens can be replaced. I recently used a service called DarnToothySam’s to repair a LCD screen and it cost me half as much as replacing the camera.
2. Lock-in THE STRAP: When you are traveling you will probably you will walk up to a stranger and ask them to take a picture of you in front of some point of interest; or someone may ask you for the same favor. Imagine, you are handing over a very valuable and delicate piece of technology to someone that has no responsibility for it and whom you don’t know at all. Not to say that they are going to take off running, but if the exchange is not made properly then you will watch your camera drop, most likely break and its not like you are going to ask them to pay for it. The technique for the transfer is simple and effective: make sure that you hand the camera over by placing the camera cord around the receiving person’s wrist.

With these simple and easy to follow tips you will remember more, get around smoothly, keep your digital camera unbroken and ultimately transform it into a powerful travel tool.

Happy Travels!

Chris

One of the unpleasant things about traveling and staying in all those exciting hostels / hotels is the increased risk of bedbugs. These creatures of the night have recently been making a strong comeback because DDT use has diminished and international travel has become more frequent; in fact, there has been a 500% increase in reported bedbug incidents since 1999. While bedbugs might be an unfortunate event in your travels, contact with them is not inevitable. With a few precautions you can greatly lessen your odds of becoming a host for these parasites and having them eat into your time, money and flesh.

Please note that bedbugs are very democratic about their victims and are NOT exclusive to hostels and budget accommodations. So don’t assume that because a hotel might have multiple stars that it’s immune from the bedbug threat.

Ways to determine the presence of bedbugs:

Budbugs look like little ¼ to 1/8 inch cockroaches, but chances are that you ever see them because they are nocturnal and protect themselves by hiding from the light in whatever little crevices will accommodate their flat little bodies. Therefore, don’t assume that just because you cannot see bedbugs that they are not there.

Tip 1: Research: Before booking your hotel you will want to look on the standard discussion boards, as you would, to look for comments about bedbug problems. If traveling in the US or Canada check The BedBug Registry which documents bedbug complaints and for a more comprehensive explanation of bedbugs try Bedbugger.com.

Tip 2: Looking for bedbug crap, literally. Bedbugs eat your blood, they fill up on it and then they leave their evidence on wherever they hid or on whoever they feed on. With this in mind, to check for budbug evidence do this three point bed check: 1) take off the pillow’s case; 2) pull back bottom sheet to expose the ticking (i.e. cord) around the mattress; 3) examine the mattress tag. If, in any of these places, you see little dark blood spots about the size of poppy seeds (i.e. bedbug waste) then your room may have bedbugs! Also look for bedbug shells in places where dust usually collects. If you see any examples of this evidence then bring it to the attention of the management and demand to be given a new room.

Tip 3: Bedbugs like wood and surfaces with lots of little hiding places: I worked in a hostel for a couple of years and I learned that wood is a favorite bedbug base camp and as such a fantastic indicator of their presence. If your room has a wooden headboard or other wooden furniture do yourself a favor and look at the unfinished parts (i.e. behind, under and inside drawers) for those tell tale little bloodspots. As a general rule of thumb, wood is a favorite hiding place so be particularly vigilant if there is any wooden furniture in your room, but this is not to say that that a check should not be made even if wood is not present.

The aforementioned advice will hopefully help you avoid any instances, however, it’s important to know what happens if you become a bedbug feast.

Bedbug bites are similar to mosquito bites, but they sometimes have very linear pattern, consistent with something crawling in a line and feeding along the way. You probably have never seen a mosquito create a linear bite pattern, so if you wake up with a line of bites you need to consider that bedbugs were the culprits. Moreover, a lot of the bites that I have seen are more like whelps and stings than like mosquito bite. If bitten then don’t freak too much because bedbugs are not known to spread disease in humans; however, with this said they can cause a great amount of anxiety and are a potent stressor, to me anyway.

Travelers want to blame the hotel at this point, but it’s possible that the bedbugs were imported with the traveler so don’t expect to be automatically compensated; however, before accusing your hotel make sure you do an extensive search mentioned to gather preexisting evidence and then they can say nothing. The word “bedbugs” strikes fear into the hearts of most hoteliers that I have ever met, and any serious owner / manager is anxious to make the problem go away as soon as possible.

Tip 4: What to do if it happens: Wash everything that you have in hot water and then dry it completely on high heat BEFORE changing rooms to prevent taking them with you to your next destination. This, in travel terms, is the most inconvenient because having to spend a few hours, and sometimes considerable cost, to launder every last thing that you have could be better used. As for your luggage, you have to basically go over it with a fine tooth comb to get rid of any stragglers. If you cannot wash your baggage in a machine then leave it in the hot sun, flipping it like a pancake to make sure that all surfaces get a lot of light and get very hot. If the sun is not an option then use a hair dryer to bring the heat.

No doubt, bedbugs are disgusting and unfortunately instances involving them are more frequent and no longer contained to flea bag hotels. By spotting the evidence of their existence in your hotel room you’re saving yourself distress and you will be helping your selected hotel to avert a problem that could cost $10,000s in repairs and diminished reputation. No matter where you stay get in the habit of looking out for these bloodsucking insects and you will save time, money and will sleep peacefully without a creepy crawly feeling.

Happy Travels,

Chris

It’s that time of the year when New Orleans and other cities along the Gulf Coast partake in the leftover pagan ritual designed to get “it” out of your system before having to sow the fields. Now it just seems to be the day before Ash Wednesday that is an awesome world-class festival.

To New Orleanians Mardi Gras is when forgotten about acquaintances come out of the woodwork and act like best friends or family members just to couch-surf (i.e stay for free) for this great event. It’s when people you’ve never wanted to see naked and people you would pay money to see naked -as evidenced by Joe Francis making a mint on Girls Gone Wild- willingly put their business out out on the street as normally as ordering a drink.

Mardi Gras, if celebrated right, means that you’ll awake on Feb. 6th as though it was all a wonderful and sometimes freighting dream; however, if you don’t party correctly then you could wake up in the Orleans Parish Prison holding center. Either way you’ll have had a great time and, most likely, be slightly hungover.

If this is your first time doing Fat Tuesday then take heed and remember these 7 Mardi Gras tips. If you’ve been through this before then this will be a nice refresher course.

Welcome to Mardi Gras 101: 7 things to remember

• Tip 1. Don’t urinate in public. You’ll see people doing it, and finding a bathroom can be a real pain, but peeing in public is now a lude felony in the Crescent City.
• Tip 2. Unless it is a dire emergency, DO NOT BOTHER THE POLICE! Which means: do not pet their horses; don’t ask them for directions; DO NOT GET INTO A FIGHT and expect them to take your side. The NOPD is under extreme stress this time of year, and they will throw you in jail and not let you out until ASH WEDNESDAY. By the way, did I say that bail is pretty expensive? People think they can talk themselves out of their predicament but that won’t work because, well, you are drunk and your going to jail is cash in hand for NOLA.
• Tip 3. Don’t talk to anyone who wants to discuss “where you got your shoes,” or any other odd riddles or seemingly benign challenges (i.e.bets) such as “I know where you’re from”. These apparently friendly chaps are scam artists and their purpose in life is to get your money. If approached, just ignore them and keep walking into the crowd. This may be particularly challenging for you friendly people who want to talk to the locals about New Orleans, but trust me and just move along.  Answers: “Where you got your shoes”: On your feet; “I know where you came from”: From your mother. I know these questions are silly, but it’s best to not even engage these guys whatsoever.
• Tip 4. See the parades, they are truly impressive and wonderful. Many people stay on Bourbon, or in the Quarter, but parades haven’t gone through these areas since the 60’s, due to the floats’ sizes and the small streets. Most parades can be caught on Canal, St. Charles, or Lee Circle.  For more info www.nola.com/parades lists parade routes and times for all krewes (i.e. clubs of sorts that sponsor the parades).
• Tip 5. Buy a package on Bourbon or other balcony areas. These packages run between $200 and $2000 per person, all with different offerings such as set entertainment, balcony access, buffets with world-class cuisine and most importantly, open bar. It may seem like a lot to spend, but these options can actually be a very economical deal. Just do the math: divide your food and drinks by $200 and then add a premium location and easy access to a toilet, priceless. To find a package that’s right for your budget and your interests call French Quarter Phantom Tours at 504-666-8300.
• Tip 6. Don’t pick up beads off the ground because it’s considered a huge faux pas and will single you out as a tourist. Moreover, the ground is filthy thus making your chances of getting a Staph infection pretty good.
• Tip 7. Show your Tips! That is, treat your bartenders and wait staff well. This season is a big for them and they work themselves to death this time of year. Plus, the bars are terribly crowded, so to set yourself apart from the competition (i.e. others pushing, shoving and yelling for a drink) it is a pretty wise strategy to attract your server with a few bills.  As the old saying goes, “attract more bees with honey than vinegar.”

Where ever you go and whatever you do, I hope you all have a safe and happy Mardi Gras.  I hope I see you here in the Big Easy!

Happy Travels,

Sarah L.